


Rule Number One

by junko



Series: Chasing Demons [20]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-09
Updated: 2012-12-09
Packaged: 2017-11-20 17:14:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/587794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Byakuya just said those three little words... how will Renji react? (part 6 of Renji's birthday gift)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rule Number One

Renji had been nearly asleep, but he cracked open one eye to look at Byakuya. Had he really just said what Renji thought he’d said?

Despite, or perhaps because of, those three little words, Byakuya wasn’t even looking at Renji. Instead, Byakuya lay on his back on the stiff hotel futon, staring impassively at the water stains on the acoustic tile ceiling of the love hotel’s ‘classroom.’ The dimmed fluorescent lights flickered and rhythmic thumping could be heard through the thin walls. 

The captain’s deep black hair was unusually rumpled and damp with sweaty exhaustion. Yet, he still managed to look completely composed; he’d taken the time to re-button his amber silk shirt and zip up the fly on his matching dark brown trousers. Only Renji’s expert eye noticed the one button missing on the shirt and the hint of teeth marks on Byakuya’s throat. 

But, despite Byakuya’s cool exterior, Renji sensed roiling, constantly constricting and expanding spiritual pressure. If he had to guess, Renji would say Byakuya was on the verge of throwing up. 

Yeah, he’d said it all right.

What an idiot. 

It was patently clear Byakuya had never heard Yumichika’s ten rules of love and fucking, because rule number one was ‘Never blurt “I love you” during or immediately after fucking someone blind. Even if you mean it, at least wait until the cum cools.’ Plus, the captain’s timing also violated rule number seven, which was, ‘Never give out an “I love you” as a gift. Flowers are always better.’ 

But, considering how adorably nervous Byakuya was, Renji decided to forgive him all of it. Besides, he could hardly point fingers. Renji had done something similar at the Hanami… 

Argh. If the silence stretched any longer, they’d have a repeat of that disaster. 

So, Renji propped himself up on one elbow in order to look down at Byakuya’s stony face. The rigid way Byakuya held his expression was the only indication of just how terrified he must be. Gently, Renji brushed a sweaty strand of jet black hair way from where it stuck to Byakuya’s cheek. Then, he leaned down and kissed his eyelids, softly, one-at-a-time, just like he had the night he’d told Byakuya.

Byakuya sucked in a startled breath. Normally cool gray eyes flashed like lightning, all but crackling with intense emotion. He started to open is mouth, but Renji swooped down and locked his lips in a kiss. _Considering how much we suck at this part, Taicho, we probably shouldn’t say another word._

Taking his time on the kiss, Renji let his tongue do all the ‘talking’—starting out gentle and tentative, and then pressing deeper, more passionate. He let himself enjoy the slightly sour taste of wine and the smooth feel of Byakuya’s teeth. 

Byakuya responded almost joyfully. He reached up and put his hands on either side of Renji’s face gently. Renji could feel him straining just a little to rise to meet him with equal passion.

Okay, never mind. Renji decided this was pretty damn perfect. If only they could stop time right here, forever. 

Though… there was one thing that Renji really, desperately wanted to know. So, when he finally pulled away from the kiss, Renji jumped in before Byakuya could speak, to ask, “Since when?”

Byakuya snapped open his eyes to look up at Renji. His hands, which had started to entwine in Renji’s hair, fell away, confused, “I’m sorry, what?”

“You said you loved me. I want to know since when.” When Byakuya opened his mouth again, Renji interrupted once more, “And don’t fucking say from the first time you laid eyes on me, because, that’s the second rule: ‘Never confuse love with lust.’”

“Rule? Whose rule?” Byakuya was beginning to bristle with irritation.

“Doesn’t matter,” Renji insisted, knowing full well how Byakuya would react to learn it was Yumichika’s. Renji leaned back a bit, so he could watch Byakuya’s face carefully. He pulled the hair away from his eyes and gave Byakuya a hard stare. “I want to know when things changed.” _Because if it’s the moment you realized I’m into your kink, that’s going to be a bit of a problem._

For his part, Byakuya seemed to consider the question intently, seriously. His hands found their way back to his chest, and Renji wondered, momentarily, if this was a physical expression of Byakuya pulling himself together. Elegant eyebrows knit together slightly. “It’s been very gradual, incremental,” he admitted, sounding disappointed not to have a more definitive answer. “I’ve known for some time now—shortly after we returned from retrieving Rukia, in fact—that my life is less… full and… right when you’re not in it. But, lately, it’s become even more than that. I’m not sure I know exactly when ‘things changed,’ as you say. Do you?”

Renji nodded. It’d been an epiphany--a drunken epiphany, but a breakthrough none-the-less. “You remember the night I tried to ‘surprise’ you, right?”

“The night of your poetry reading?” Byakuya asked. When Renji nodded, Byakuya turned his head slightly and flicked his eyes up briefly to look at him, a smile tugging the edges of his thin lips, “Indeed, how could I forget? But, despite deeply moving nature of your words, I don’t believe you mentioned love.”

“Heh, no, I didn’t.” Renji said with a fond smile. He found he was the one who had to break eye contact now, and his fingers absently traced lightly over the lines of Byakuya’s silk shirt. “I didn’t say I was ready for it. Because, actually, uh… the feeling kind of took me by surprise.” 

Truthfully, he’d thrown up the moment it’d hit him. He’d been pretty plastered, but that wasn’t the only thing that had made him sick. Renji had blown chow like a nervous school boy the second he realized that it was more than just a good lay he was after. It was all because Kenpachi had been going on about how men liked to fuck, like that was all there was to it…. 

The weekend-long date of the Cherry Blossom Festival and ‘just sleeping’ together had cemented it for Renji. That’s why he’d been so overcome with stupidity to say out loud what the captain so clearly hadn’t been ready for.

It was kind of amazing it’d only taken a few months for Byakuya to catch up. Of course, they’d been through hell and back again in that time.

“Yes, it was a surprise for me, as well,” Byakuya said, his hand reaching up to brush away the thick rusty locks that had fallen in front of Renji’s face again. “But, then, nearly everything about you surprises me.”

Renji wondered how surprised Byakuya would be to find out that he’d nearly given up on him a couple time, but for Zabimaru. Zabimaru had known instantly, and had somehow instinctually known Byakuya would eventually come around. “What about Senbonzakura? When did they know?”

“I hardly consult my zanpakutō in affairs of the heart.”

“Huh, really?” Renji smiled toothily into Byakuya’s disapproving frown. “Because Zabimaru knew you’d like that poetry shit.” He poked Byakuya in the chest, “Bet Senbonzakura's singing us a love song right now, maybe even a waltz, eh?”

“Did I say I loved you?” Byakuya said dryly, “I meant to say that you annoy me. Deeply.”

Renji smiled and laid his head back down on Byakuya’s shoulder. He nuzzled until Byakuya got the hint and opened an arm for him to tuck in close, under Byakuya’s chin. Of course that meant his feet hung off the edge of the futon onto the smooth linoleum floor and brushed up against the cool metal of the leg of the student desk, but he didn’t mind. He threw an arm around Byakuya’s waist, closed his eyes, and let out a contented sigh. “Yeah,” Renji murmured into Byakuya’s chest, “The feeling’s mutual.”

Ignoring the screeching sounds of what was either someone’s orgasm or death throes, Renji listened, instead, to Byakuya’s breathing. Even though Renji was naked, Byakuya’s body was warm against his. Surrounded by the smell of him—musk with a hint of jasmine, Renji started drifting to sleep.

“I do remember the first time I saw you, though,” Byakuya said quietly.

Renji woke up enough to let out a dark chuckle and murmur,“I kind of burst in like an idiot. Great first impression, I’m sure.”

“That was not the first time I saw you,” Byakuya corrected.

Lifting his head curiously and blinking himself awake, Renji asked, “It wasn’t? Are you bullshitting me?”

“Did you expect that I’d never observed Rukia at Academy before the family made its approach? And, tell me, were you ever far from her side?”

No, of course he wasn’t. 

Renji shifted so he could rest the tip of his chin on his hand, which he splayed across Byakuya’s chest. Byakuya was completely pinned under naked body, but if this closeness bothered the captain, he didn’t show it. In fact he seemed to be smiling slightly at having surprised Renji with this information. 

“Okay,” Renji said, tapping Byakuya teasingly in the rib with his other hand, “You got me. So when did you first see me?”

“It was shortly after you and Rukia arrived at Academy. My inside sources alerted me that a young girl resembling Hisana had been accepted. I came to judge the likeness myself.” As he spoke, Byakuya wrapped his arms causally around Renji—one at his shoulder, the other at his lower back. He absently stroked Renji’s naked skin, and Renji tried not to squirm when fingertips lightly brushed still sensitive welts.

Renji shifted out of Byakuya’s touch, “Oi, I can’t concentrate on what you’re saying when you’re doing that with your hands.”

Amusement and a light blush briefly showed on Byakuya’s face. “My apologies,” he said guiltily pulling his hand from Renji’s backside. 

Renji settled back a bit, “So, you’re saying you saw me as a first year? Where?”

Byakuya seemed to decide playing with Renji’s hair would be a safer option. Fingers curled around Renji’s ear and along his neck. It amused Renji that Byakuya seemed to be having trouble keeping his hands off him. It wasn’t like the captain to be so touchy-feely, but Renji wasn’t going to complain. “It was an unseasonably hot autumn day. You and Rukia were in the orchard in what I believe is affectionately called ‘the back forty,’” Byakuya said after a moment. His eyes grew distant with the memory, “I hadn’t even seen Rukia’s face yet, as her back was to where I stood near the tower of the Academy walls. I’d come to observe her, but you… you distracted me utterly with your enthusiasm. You were all but dancing around Rukia, desperate to show off some move you’d just learned.” Byakuya let out a soft chuckle. “In fact, I recall you bowled her over it with it, and the two of you fell, laughing, into the grass.”

Renji had no memory of that specific moment, though there’d been enough similar that he had no doubt Byakuya could have seen something like that. Knowing everything he knew now, Renji had to wonder how painful that must have been for Byakuya, how weirdly jealous he must have been to see Renji rolling around with someone who looked uncannily like his late wife. Jeez, no wonder Byakuya had all but swooped in and stolen Rukia from him almost instantly. 

“The sun was bright that day, and your hair,” Byakuya said, reaching up to stroke the rusty strands again, “it was like fire. And,” his fingers trailed down to biceps, “Your shirt was off and I saw these. And, I remember thinking how much like a tiger you were… wild… dangerous.”

Renji perked up even more at that. “My shirt was off?”

“As I said, it was a hot day.”

Renji frowned, “Holy shit. It was you.”

“Me? Me, what? What exactly are you convinced I’ve done?” Byakuya asked, sounding startled by the accusation in Renji’s tone.

“I was nearly expelled for coming to Academy with tattoos,” Renji said, and then gave Byakuya a measuring look and a wicked smile. “But, maybe you knew that already, because I could never figure out who grassed me up. I knew it wasn’t Rukia.”

Byakuya paled slightly, but, he met Renji’s eyes and said, “I couldn’t have been the only one to have seen them. Surely, you bathed at some point.”

“You’re not denying it, though, are you?” Renji was smiling and poking him in the chest. 

“No,” Byakuya said, a little flustered.

Renji knew better than to ask ‘why.’ It was obvious anyway. The captain probably figured him for a bad influence on the soon-to-be-adopted little sister. “You know I was never her lover. You had nothing to be jealous of.”

“How could I have known that then?” Byakuya said. “You two were as thick as thieves.”

Renji snorted a laugh, “Heh. Nice choice of words there, Taicho. Anyway, your little plan didn’t work, did it? Turns out only very specific gang-related and yakuza tattoos are banned. Showed you but good, didn’t I? Graduated with top marks and tattoos on my goddamn face. That last bit was my little ‘fuck you’ to the headmaster.”

“Your maturity is impressive as always.”

Renji almost thanked him until he heard the sarcasm. He flopped back down, and lay his head on Byakuya’s chest again. “Eh, you’re the bastard. It wasn’t enough to take Rukia from me, huh? You needed to throw me back to Inuzuri too? After getting a taste of Academy? Shit, Taicho. The one hurt plenty; the last would’ve killed me.”

“At the time, that was the point,” Byakuya said with a sigh. “I am astoundingly grateful you surprised me once again with your fierce tenacity.”

“Stubbornness,” Renji corrected, “Pig-headed stubbornness.”

“Yes,” Byakuya agreed, placing a fond kiss on the top of Renji’s head, “That, too.”

They were silent for a few minutes; the clock on the ‘classroom’ wall ticked noisily. Byakuya wrapped an arm Renji’s naked back. “Are you cold? Do you want a blanket?”

“Eh, we should probably head back soon,” Renji said, though he made no move to get up. “This place doesn’t have room service.”

“And the estate has a staff who are prepared to bring us breakfast in bed,” Byakuya mused. “But are you up for it? It would require getting dressed.”

“Ugh,” Renji said, shivering at the thought of denim on his sore ass. At least he’d picked out silk boxers. He pulled himself upright with a groan, “Okay, if I go to the trouble to get dressed, let’s agree to flash step back to the storage unit, pick up our stuff, dump the gigai, and hurry up and open the senkaimon, so I can get tucked back in your bed ASAP.”

“A sound plan of action,” Byakuya frowned at up Renji, who was standing to slide gingerly into the boxers, “The gigai…?” He looked pointedly at Renji’s bright red ass. 

“Yeah,” Renji said with a wicked smile, “Urahara and the Lady Yourichi are going to know exactly how I spent my birthday.”

“Dear gods,” Byakuya sighed. “I may never live this down.”

**Author's Note:**

> Just to confuse my loyal readers, the AU of "Tails of Zabimaru" does not, in fact, intersect with this universe, but some elements apply. I decided there's no reason that Renji couldn't have come to Academy with tattoos (particularly the tiger stripes on his arms and legs, which we'd never see in canon.) Plus, in previous parts of this never-ending soap opera, I've explained why he'd have felt he had to have those in particular in order to be more like the nue in/of his soul. But, other than the implied closeness to Zabimaru even in Inuzuri, that's where the similarities end.
> 
> Also, speaking of AUs, I had a flash of an idea that may tie all the Hisana/Sode no Shirayuki hauntings together for the next installment... now I have to decide if that's really where I want this story to go.


End file.
